Somewhat short notice, but tomorrow evening at 8pm Australian Eastern Standard time I will be giving a digital and print photographic presentation on Antarctica – The Great White Continent at the Melbourne Camera Club in South Melbourne. The presentation will be live-streamed to You Tube for anyone who wishes to tune in.
A few days ago the semi-finalists were announced for the 2021 AIPP Silver Lining Awards and I am very pleased to report that three of my photographs that I entered into the Natural World category have made the semi-final round of judging. Congratulations to all of the entrants and semi-finalists. All of the semi-finalist photographs can be seen online HERE. Finalists will be announced in the next week or so.
As a digital only photographic competition the AIPP Silver Linings are without question the most professional I have encountered and entered in my professional career. Although I really prefer to enter print competition wherever possible, I do think it worth noting that as a digital only competition that the calibre of judges and detailed feedback provided set a standard the rest of the industry would do well to note and follow. By contrast, the recently run Frank Hurley awards (in which I was also a multiple image finalist) were a serious disappointment in terms of awards communication and feedback. Correspondence and feedback were totally lacking without even the courtesy of finalist email notification. Many online digital competitions are proving nothing more than a ‘money grab’ these days and it would unfortunately appear on reflection that the Hurley awards fall squarely into this category. Cleverly named perhaps, but nothing more than a thin veneer for a money grab.
I have continually waxed and waned on entering digital only photographic competitions over the years and have taken a hiatus on several occasions in the past. In a marketplace that is currently overly saturated with digital photographic competition it feels as though the time is ripe to again take a bit of a backward step from this murky world of subjective digital competition. One thing that has really soured my current feeling on digital competition is the sheer number of photographs and photographers that are getting disqualified for what amounts to outright attempts at cheating. Examples are rampant across just about every online competition in the marketplace. It seems that for many, winning at all costs is acceptable if you can get away with it and I find that seriously disheartening. Photographic competition is supposed to be about pushing yourself, improving your own work, understanding where the bar is set in terms of image quality from colleagues and good friendly competitive spirit. Somehow this spirit has been lost in the race for the podium and the need for the organiser to cash in. Time to take a break from digital competition for while and get back to the print.
One of the most exciting destinations on the planet for both landscape and wildlife photography is Antarctica. The enigmatic white continent is without doubt the premiere and sought after location for Polar Photography on our planet. With its monumental icebergs, towering mountains and glaciers and plethora of wildlife it offers the intrepid photographer a unique and powerful photographic experience.
One of the problems with almost all expeditions to Antarctica is the sheer number of people visiting ships can accomodate. In recent years there have been virtually no sub 100 passenger vessels (and many are now 200+ passengers) traversing the icy polar waters and this remains a major problem for photographers. With strict IATO restrictions across Antarctica, passengers and photographers have been forced to wait their turn for an all too brief period of photography on the continent with no more than 100 souls aloud ashore at any one time. Now, I am extremely excited to announce that my company Wild Nature Photo Travel has fully chartered the completely refitted Polar Pioneer and we will be returning to the Great White Continent in December of 2023 on a dedicated expedition for photographers.
With a capacity of just 52 photographers we will all be able to all land at the same time and spend hours ashore at each of our landing locations. Our choice time-slot of December 8th – December 21st 2023 is absolutely ideal for both ice and snow; whilst providing us a fantastic opportunity for a potential landing at Deception Island and a subsequent cruise through the spectacular Lemaire Channel – a landscape photographers paradise.
Wether you are a seasoned Antarctic veteran, or a first time traveller, this expedition is sure to offer you unparalleled and unique opportunities not offered anywhere else. You will be one of just 52 photographers on a dedicated expedition designed solely to offer the best possible photographic experiences – A return to the Great White Continent!
For more information, or to register your interest to be amongst the first to be notified when bookings are open please drop me an email to info@jholko.com
The photograph of the month for April 2021 comes from my scouting trip to Mongolia in Winter of 2019 to photograph the Pallas Cat (Read the Trip Report). One of my main goals for this field trip was not only to find the Pallas Cat, but to be able to photograph it in the snow. Generally, Pallas Cat do their best to stay out of the snow when possible. Their short legs makes it difficult for them to move quickly in deep snow. This photograph was taken right at the very end of the expedition on my very last day. When exposed and out in the open like this, Pallas Cat will often make itself very flat on the ground to make itself as inconspicuous as possible. Although the Pallas Cat is a predator, it is not at the top of the food chain and can end up as prey for some of the large Eagle species found across the country.
M-Mode, an all new magazine that aims to connect the dots between Nature photography and Art is being released today and very pleased to announce that I scored both the cover shot and the feature interview article for the premiere issue. Mode M can be downloaded for FREE HERE.
A new international nature photographic magazine, where the best photographers of the world collaborate to show us their work. The magazine is bilingual: Spanish and English. Contains several sections: Portfolio, Interview, Dream Travel, Km 0 near paradise, agenda, amazing images, etc
www.WILDNATUREPHOTOTRAVEL.com 